Lightweight reinforced reel



y 1967 J, A. WILSON, JR.. ETAL 3,322,373

LIGHTWEIGHT REINFORCED REEL Original Filed March 29, 1965 INVENTORS JOHNA. WILSON, JR. EDWARD J. BOY R E CHARLES M. VANDER PYL ATTORNEYS IUnited States Patent Office 3,322,373 Patented May 30, 1-967 3,322,373LHGHTWETGHT RERNFURQED REEL John A. Wilson, Jr., Warwick, RJL, andEdward J. Boyer and Charlies M. Vander Pyl, Attlebere, Mass, assignorsto Wansltucit (Iornpany, a corporation of Rhode Elsiand Continuation ofapplication Ser. No. 443,556, him. 29, 1965. This application Get. 12,1966, Ser. No. 586,168 3 Claims. (Cl. 242-1183) This invention relatesto a reel more particularly adapted for receiving wire to provide ashipping package for transporting the wire from one place to another andis a continuation of our copending application, Ser. No. 443,556, filedMar. 29, 1965, now abandoned.

The invention comprises a reel having a barrel portion with heads at itsopposite ends and with both the barrel and the heads formed of spaced,relatively stiif sheets of material with a core therebetween contactingthe spaced sheets of material so as to stiffen and support the same. Thecore is of a relatively light or less dense material than the spacedsheets forming the heads and barrel and yet one which lends support andstrength to the sheets forming the heads and barrel.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a strong reel and yetone which is light in weight and thus less expensive and easier tohandle in shipping.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lightweight core betweentwo sheets of material which will give good support preventing thecollapse of the sheets of material toward each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reel which will permitthe reel and its contents to be immersed in water for treating orcleaning the contents of the reel.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction as will be more fully described andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of the reel partly in section;

FIG. 2 is a fragmental view partly broken away and in section with thebroken away portion being along substantially the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;and

FIG. 3 is a section of a fragmental portion of the barrel onsubstantially line 33 of FIG. 1.

In proceeding with this invention, we provide a barrel and separateheads for the opposite ends of the barrel and then assemble the headswith the barrel. The barrel is provided by a pair of tubes one withinthe other and a core between the tubes to reinforce them and stitfen thebarrel and provide a laminated structure. The heads are provided bymeans of a pair of plates which are spaced with a core of stiffeningmaterial positioned between the plates to contact the plates so as tostiffen and strengthen the same and provide a laminated structure. Theouter material of the two tubes and the outer plates of the heads are ofa more dense material than the core which supports them. Thus, we areable to provide a lightweight reel and yet have the desired strength andouter surface which is desired.

With reference to the drawings and more particularly FIG. 1, designatesgenerally the barrel having heads 11 at its ends which heads are of thesame construction. Each of these heads comprises an outer plate 15turned inwardly at its center providing a lip 16 and a center opening 21and turned inwardly at its peripheral edge as at 17. An inner plate 18is also formed which is turned outwardly as at 19 at its center andoutwardly as at 20 at its peripheral edge so as to telescope into thelips 16 and 17 of the outer plate. These lips form stops which space theplates at certain distance apart.

The plates 15 and 18 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are formed of a resinreinforced with glass fibers to provide a plastic which is relativelystiff and presents a hard outer surface. The resin may contain acoloring material to make the plates opaque. Between the plates 15 and18 there is provided a stiffening core which contacts plates 15 and 18,and in the form shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, this core 23 is of foamedplastic and very light weight. This material is inserted between theplates prior to their being telescoped together, and after beingassembled With the plates, the plates are sealed at the juncture oftheir telescoping lips by a suitable treatment of the resin which formsthem.

The inner one of these plates is provided with a molded projection 25consisting of an annulus, and this projection is hollow and providedwith some suitable reinforcing filling material 26 such as foamedplastic which will engage the surfaces of the pocket formed by thisinward projection 25.

The barrel 10 which is assembled on the projection 25 of each of theheads comprises an inner tube 30 and a larger outer tube 31 both ofcylindrical construction, while between these tubes there is provided acore 32 of foamed plastic which may be the same as is provided at 23between the plates of a head of the reel, thus providing radial supportbetween the tubes which form the barrel 10 and preventing collapse ofthe tubes toward each other. A tight seal will be provided at the endsof the barrel where they contact the inner plates 18 of the heads.

The center opening 21 permits the reel to be mounted upon a mandrel forturning the same to assemble the wire thereon or for the discharge ofwire after it has reached the point of its destination.

It will be apparent that various plastic materials may be utilized andvarious combinations may be utilized, the general overlying purposebeing to provide a lightweight stiffening core between relativelystilfer and denser covering sheets which form the outer surface of theheads and barrel. It will also be apparent that in the assembly of thereel or spool that tight seals will be provided to prevent the entry ofliquid to contact the core material such as the provision of any goodtight sealing means between the joints of the parts of the reel, Wherethe plastic material forms the outer surface of the barrel and heads, asubstantial welding of the parts may be had and likewise by suitablesolvents and adhesives.

We claim:

1. A reel comprising a barrel with heads at the ends of the barrel, saidheads each comprising spaced plastic plates reinforced with glass fiberswith an opening at the axial center, a supporting core between saidplates and contacting both of said plates, lips at said center openingand at the outer periphery of each head extending from one plate to theother plate enclosing said core, said barrel comprising spacedconcentric tubes with a supporting core between said tubes andcontacting said tubes, said supporting cores for said heads and barrelbeing of foam plastic material of less density than the material of saidplates and tubes.

2. A reel as in claim 1 wherein said lips are on each plate andtelescope one within the other.

3. A reel as in claim 1 wherein the inner plates provide projectionsover which the inner tube of the barrel telescopes to locate the barrelwith reference to the heads.

No references cited.

FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

G. F. MAUTZ, Assistant Examiner.

1. A REEL COMPRISING A BARREL WITH HEADS AT THE ENDS OF THE BARREL, SAIDHEADS EACH COMPRISING SPACED PLASTIC PLATES REINFORCED WITH GLASS FIBERSWITH AN OPENING AT THE AXIAL CENTER, A SUPPORTING CORE BETWEEN SAIDPLATES AND CONTACTING BOTH OF SAID PLATES, LIPS AT SAID CENTER OPENINGAND AT THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF EACH HEAD EXTENDING FROM ONE PLATE TO THEOTHER PLATE ENCLOSING SAID CORE, SAID BARREL COMPRISING SPACEDCONCENTRIC TUBES WITH A SUPPORTING CORE BETWEEN SAID TUBES ANDCONTACTING SAID TUBES, SAID SUPPORTING CORES FOR SAID HEADS AND BARRELBEING OF FOAM PLASTIC MATERIAL OF LESS DENSITY THAN THE MATERIAL OF SAIDPLATES AND TUBES.